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Beverly Hills 90210 star dies at age 58

<p dir="ltr"><em>Beverly Hills 90210</em> star David Gail has passed away at the age of 58. </p> <p dir="ltr">The news was confirmed by his sister Katie Colmenares, with tributes quickly pouring in for the actor. </p> <p dir="ltr">Gail was best known for playing the fiancé of Shannen Doherty’s Brenda Walsh on the series, with his character becoming a fan favourite. </p> <p dir="ltr">Peter Ferriero, who hosts the Beverly Hills 90210 rewatch podcast, paid tribute to the actor with a series of clips from when Gail joined him for an episode of the podcast. </p> <p dir="ltr">“In memory of David Gail. Here are a few stories he shared when he joined the podcast,” Ferriero said on Saturday.</p> <p dir="ltr">“David was a kind human. Someone I wish I spoke to more.”</p> <p dir="ltr">“He was full of life and incredible stories. I am grateful I got to know. I am so saddened by your loss, and the world’s loss. He was a gift to us all.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Also paying tribute to the dead star was Gail’s sister Katie Colmenares who shared a heartfelt post on Instagram.</p> <p dir="ltr">“There’s barely been even a day in my life when you were not with me, by my side, always my wingman, always my best friend, ready to face anything and anyone with me,” she wrote.</p> <p dir="ltr">“The bears will never be the same but I will hold you so tight every day in my heart you gorgeous loving amazing fierce human being.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Along with <em>Beverly Hills 90210</em>, the actor played Dr Joe Scanlon in the series <em>Port Charles</em> between 1999 and 2000.</p> <p dir="ltr">Other credits of Gail’s include 2008’s <em>Belly of the Beast</em>, <em>ER</em>, and <em>Robin’s Hoods</em>.</p> <p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 2.045455; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 14pt;"><em>Image credits: Fox</em></p>

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Beverly Hills, 90210 star Joe E. Tata dead at 86

<p dir="ltr"><em>Beverly Hills, 90210</em> star Joe E. Tata has passed away at the age of 86 following a battle with Alzheimer’s. </p> <p dir="ltr">His devastating death was announced by Tata’s co-star Ian Ziering on Instagram, who paid tribute to the man who played Peach Pit owner Nat Bussichio on the show for 10 years.</p> <p dir="ltr">Ziering started off his post acknowledging the deaths of other colleagues, Jessica Klein one of 90210’s most prolific writers and producers, Denise Douse who played Mrs. Teasley, before sharing the heartbreaking announcement. </p> <p dir="ltr">“I’m very sad to say Joe E Tata has passed away. Joey was truly an OG, I remember seeing him on the Rockford files with James Garner years before we worked together on 90210,” his post began.</p> <p dir="ltr">“He was often one of the background villains in the original Batman series. </p> <p dir="ltr">“One of the happiest people I’ve ever worked with, he was as generous with his wisdom as he was with his kindness. </p> <p dir="ltr">“Though the peach pit was a 90210 set, It often felt like the backdrop to the Joe E Tata show. </p> <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/ChsG7TirHFW/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/ChsG7TirHFW/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Ian Ziering (@ianziering)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p dir="ltr">“The stories of days gone by that he would share, incredible experiences in the entertainment industry that he was a part of would keep us all captivated. </p> <p dir="ltr">“He may have been in the back of many scenes, but he was a leading force, especially to us guys, on how to appreciate the gift that 90210 was. </p> <p dir="ltr">“My smile dims today but basking in fond memories moves him from my eyes to my heart where he will always be.</p> <p dir="ltr">“My sincere condolences go out to his family and friends, and everyone else he was dear too. </p> <p dir="ltr">“Rest In peace Joey.” </p> <p dir="ltr">Tata’s health began to deteriorate in 2014 but it was only in 2018 when he was officially diagnosed with Alzehimer’s </p> <p dir="ltr">“Now 86 years old, his illness has progressed to its final stages," Tata’s daughter Kelly wrote on a crowdsourcing page for her father. </p> <p dir="ltr">"He spends his days scared and confused. The few times I've seen him, there is relief and joy in his eyes."</p> <p dir="ltr">"Nat was a loving father figure to the kids of West Beverly High. In real life, my Dad, Joey, is honest, kind, and a truly incredible father."</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Images: Instagram</em></p>

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Leonardo DiCaprio has listed his gorgeous $14 million mansion for rent

<p dir="ltr">If you have some splash to cash you can now experience Leonardo DiCaprio being your landlord first hand by becoming his tenant.</p> <p dir="ltr">The award-winning actor dropped $US9.9 million ( $14 million) on a gorgeous 1930-era mansion in Beverly Hills late last year and has just listed the updated estate for rent.</p> <p dir="ltr">If you have $US32,500 ($48,000) per month to spare, you could very well be calling the Revenant star your landlord.</p> <p dir="ltr">DiCaprio stands out from other celebrity homeowners because he doesn’t offload his buys swiftly or flip the homes. In fact, “[he] has retained most of his purchases, turning his less frequented homes into rental properties,” Architectural Digest.</p> <p dir="ltr">The 464-square-metre immaculately updated home boasts four bedrooms, six bathrooms, a chef’s kitchen, white oak floors and sits on just over 1100-square-metres of prime Beverly Hills Flats real estate.</p> <p dir="ltr">The rental is fully furnished and available immediately. Serious applicants will also need a $US97,500 security deposit.</p> <p dir="ltr">The space is emboldened by black Marquina granite and white Carrara marble, and includes an adjacent breakfast nook with floor-to-ceiling French doors leading out to an al fresco dining terrace.</p> <p dir="ltr">Upstairs, three ensuite bedrooms include an impressive master retreat with impressive cathedral ceiling. The space boasts a mini-bar, walk-in closet and luxe marble bath equipped with a beautiful oval soaking tub.</p> <p dir="ltr">Other features of the estate include a substantial outdoor pool and a separate guesthouse with its own patio.</p> <p dir="ltr">The home is also shrouded behind prominent gates and established trees, providing a secluded oasis.</p> <p dir="ltr">DiCaprio picked up the arresting mansion for $US300,000 cheaper than its original $US10.2 million asking price.</p>

Real Estate

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Kirk Douglas’ home hits the market for eye-watering price

<p dir="ltr">The Beverly Hills home belonging to the late Kirk Douglas has<span> </span><a rel="noopener" href="https://www.realtor.com/realestateandhomes-detail/805-N-Rexford-Dr_Beverly-Hills_CA_90210_M12177-91742" target="_blank">hit the market</a><span> </span>with a hefty $USD 7.495 million ($NZD 11.12 million) price tag.</p> <p dir="ltr">Douglas lived at the Hollywood home with his wife, Anne Douglas until his death at 103 in 2020. Anne died the following April, at the age of 102.</p> <p dir="ltr">Their longtime home comes with a star-studded history, including autographed outdoor tiles signed by Hollywood royalty, including Frank Sinatra, Lucille Ball, Roger Moore, Elizabeth Taylor and Jane Fonda, who left their marks while attending dinner parties hosted by the couple.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Kirk and Anne loved to entertain, and they would host dinner parties with Hollywood icons,”<span> </span><a rel="noopener" href="https://www.realtor.com/news/celebrity-real-estate/beverly-hills-home-late-kirk-douglas-comes-with-memorabilia/" target="_blank">said</a><span> </span>Rochelle Atlas Maize, the listing agent from Nourmand &amp; Associates.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Each dinner guest personally signed stepping stones that are now displayed in the backyard. These stones make this a truly one-of-a-kind property that is rich in history and unlike any other on the market right now.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Along with the signed pavers, the four-bedroom, five-bedroom home boasts a resort-style pool and spa, and a two-storey guesthouse.</p> <p dir="ltr">Inside, the house offers large living and dining areas, including a living room with a fireplace and French doors that spill out onto a brick-paved courtyard.</p> <p dir="ltr">The rooms feature decorative ceiling designs, built-ins, ensuites, and natural light coming in through multiple windows and skylights.</p> <p dir="ltr">The home, known as “The Stars of Beverly Hills”, was originally built in 1921.</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Images: Getty Images, Realtor</em></p>

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Rod Stewart's "hidden track" inside his Beverly Hills home

<p>He has long been known as a railway enthusiast, even if at times he chose not to talk about it. But Sir Rod Stewart's legendary choo-choo layout -–26 years in the making – just has to be seen to be believed.</p> <p>The rocker's astonishingly detailed 124ft long x 23ft wide model depicting an American city and its industrial hinterland in the 1940s contains hundreds of buildings, from trackside switchman shanties to vast factories and skyscrapers.</p> <p>Called Grand Street And Three Rivers City, it also features a railway station crossed by numerous bridges at rush hour.</p> <p>Also featured in the landscape are period cars and lorries, driving alongside the train tracks.</p> <p>Everything is dramatically lit in the colours of late afternoon sunshine.</p> <p>Sir Rod told<span> </span><em>Railway Modeller</em><span> </span>magazine that scenery and structure modelling, rather than locomotives, trackwork or electrics, are his forte.</p> <p>"It's the landscape I like. Attention to detail, extreme detail, is paramount. There shouldn't be any unsightly gaps or pavements that are too clean," he said.</p> <p>Sir Rod was inspired by American Railways because that is where we has living when he began creating the model in 1993.</p> <p>At the time, he had recently built a new house in Los Angeles and included an attic room specifically for the layout.</p> <p>While Sir Rod acknowledged it took a while for him to publicly admit he was a railway enthusiast, he agreed in his interview with the magazine that attitudes now appear to be changing towards model railway making.</p> <p>But he added that he was still wary about answering questions on TV about it because "it's hard to talk about something so all-encompassing" if he was meant to be discussing his music.</p> <p>His passion was first inflamed when he was "eight or nine" on a family holiday in Bognor Regis where he saw a "marvellous" railway layout in a model shop.</p> <p>He said his father had once given him the advice that "every man needs a hobby".</p> <p>"Mine's model railway," said Sir Rod, who had a toy railway as a child. When he wanted a station for it, his dad bought him a guitar instead, which many might think turned out to be a shrewd move.</p> <p>His fortune stands at £190 million, according to the Sunday Times' UK Musicians' Rich List, and he has had nine No 1 albums and 62 hit singles in the UK.</p> <p>Sir Rod said guests are stunned by his magnificent model railway when he runs it for them at his LA home. He said: 'When I take on something creative like this, I have to give it 110 per cent. For me, it's addictive. I started, so I just had to finish.</p> <p>"I'm lucky I had the room. If I'd realised at the start it would have taken so long, I'd have probably said No! No! Nah!"</p> <p><span>Photos: Facebook and Model Railroader Magazine</span></p>

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Priscilla Presley’s Beverly Hills mansion up for sale

<p>Priscilla Presley has finally decided to part with the Beverly Hills mansion she called her “sanctuary” for so many years thanks to its beauty and seclusion.</p> <p>According to the LA Times, Ms Presley – now 70 years of age – has listed the home for $16m, after she bought the mansion in the 1970s to be close to her ex-husband Elvis.</p> <p>Built in 1951 and listed with Beverly Hills Real Estate company <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.hiltonhyland.com/" target="_blank">Hilton &amp; Hyland</a>, the home boasts seven bedrooms, eight-and-a-half bathrooms, a tile-lined swimming pool, tennis court and more.</p> <p>The estate is set behind a gated entry way, and is tucked between lush trees providing privacy.</p> <p>“Available for the first time in over 45 years,” writes realtor Jonah Wilson in the listing, “this private enclave is nestled on over one acre of verdant grounds within the city limits of Beverly Hills”.</p> <p>Priscilla described the estate as a sanctuary because it's secluded, hidden behind a gate and surrounded by lines of trees.</p> <p>Inside, the house features vaulted ceilings, with exposed beams in dark wood and matching framed archways.</p> <p>Dark wood runs through the home, also featured in window panes, sculpted pillars throughout and panelling in the library/den combination room.</p> <p>A large ensuite has double sinks and mirrors on a dark wood vanity, with velvet drapes providing coverage to personal items. Stone work lines the glass shower, and tub tucked under a window.</p> <p>The swimming pool is surrounded by gardens, a covered seating area, stone work and a statue.</p> <p>A Steinway &amp; Sons grand piano sits under a chandelier in the corner of one of the rooms. Check out just some of the amazing interior and exterior images below.</p> <p><strong>IMAGES:</strong> <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.hiltonhyland.com/" target="_blank">Hilton &amp; Hyland Beverly Hills Real Estate Agents</a></p>

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House of horrors: Dr. Phil's Beverly Hills mansion hits the market for $8.3 million

<p>If there has ever been a house to cause such a wave of disbelief in shock, it is the Beverly Hills mansion of Dr. Phil McGraw which just hit the market for AUD $8.3 million.</p> <p>The star of the Dr. Phil Show has put his house up for sale and it quickly went viral for its quirky, and quite frankly strange, features.</p> <p>From the bejewelled bear and rabbit figurines beneath a wall of guns, to a purple egg chair draping from the ceiling directly across from a massive piece of artwork that reads “f*ck” on it, this home has every eccentric momentum that you could squeeze into a five bedroom, six bathroom house.</p> <p>The images of inside the uniquely designed mansion quickly spread quickly once a Los<em> Angeles Times</em> writer tweeted a collection of interior shots of the house in question.</p> <p>The interesting décor choices and eccentric, out-of-the-box quirks got the attention of over 26,000 people who liked the post.</p> <p>Records show Dr. Phil purchased the home in 2007 however it appears the TV star has never actually lived there.</p> <p>The insane décor choices seem to be the choice of his son, Jordan, who currently calls the place home.</p> <p>He went on to clarify the wall of guns is actually “an anti-gun art installation”.</p> <p>The mansion features five bedrooms and six bathrooms, and the master suite has a private balcony. In true Californian style, there also includes also a dining gazebo, outdoor fireplace, swimming pool, and jacuzzi.</p> <p>On top of that there is a dedicated billiards room and wine cellar. </p> <p>Scroll through the gallery to see the inside of the home up close.</p>

Home & Garden

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Inside Sinatra's $11.5 million Beverly Hills home

<p><span>The Sinatra family mainstay in Beverly Hills has been listed for an eye-watering AUD $11.5 million. </span></p> <p>It belonged to music legend, Frank Sinatra’s first wife, Nancy Sinatra, who is also the mother of the iconic performer’s three children. </p> <p>Even though the couple departed ways in 1951, she remained an integral part of his life, throughout the myriad of affairs and three more wives throughout Frank’s life. </p> <p>The one-story home ranch, located Beverly Hills, was built in 1979 and while it isn’t the massive or flashy mansions celebrity fans aren’t used to, it has kept it’s elegant and regal warmth. </p> <p>Located in the hilly part of Beverly Hills at the end of a lengthy, private tree-lined drive, the home sits on a lot measuring over one acre. </p> <p>The home also offers serene canyon views and has many highlights including vaulted and coffered ceilings, beautiful french doors leading to a cosy courtyard. </p> <p>Among other unique features also has an incredible walk-in bae where it is stated: "where Hollywood and international celebrities have gathered to toast one another for decades."</p> <p>The master suite is a massive gem on its own and offers a double-sided fireplace, his-and-her baths, as well as soaring vaulted ceilings. </p> <p>Nancy Barbato Sinatra met Frank when she was just 17 and he was 19. The couple married in 1939, and it was a marriage that lasted for 12 years where she worked as a secretary and answered her husband’s endless fan mail. </p> <p><span>Frank’s movie career took off in the 1940s and a</span><span>s a result, the family  moved to Southern California. </span></p> <p><span>It is in Los Angeles where Nancy stayed for the rest of her life. </span></p> <p>In July 2018, Nancy Barbato Sinatra passed away at age 101. Frank died in 1998, but the former couple had reportedly remained on good terms. </p> <p><span>Interestingly enough, when questioned why she never remarried, she asked a journalist incredulously, "After Sinatra?"</span></p> <p>Scroll through the gallery above to see the Beverly Hills home. </p>

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Are these the top 5 TV families of all time?

<p>Are these the top 5 TV families of all time? Whether dysfunctional or picture-perfect, fictional families have taught us that anything is possible with the support of a loving family. What is your favourite TV family of all time?</p> <p>Whether dysfunctional or picture-perfect, fictional families have taught us that anything is possible with the support of a loving family. What is your favourite TV family of all time?</p> <p>Join our countdown of the top 5 TV families!</p> <p><strong>1. The Bundys (Married With Children)</strong></p> <p>With his half-baked wife, ditzy daughter, nerdy son, annoyingly perfect neighbours and unrealised professional football dreams, it’s no wonder poor old Al Bundy barely cracks a smile throughout the ten seasons of Married With Children (1987-1997).</p> <p>His career as a shoe salesman also irked the unconventional father figure, but we fell in love with this unlikely family unit nonetheless, and their flaws only made us adore them more. Oh, Al!   </p> <p><strong>2. The Fletchers (Home and Away)</strong></p> <p>The enduring Fletcher family has been roaming the streets and surfing the waves of Summer Bay for decades. The best known of the Fletchers would still have to be Sally (Kate Richie) and her adopted parents Pippa (played by Vanessa Downing and Debra Lawrence) and Tom (Roger Oakley).</p> <p>The foster-parents-come-caravan-park-managers with seemingly endless love and room to spare encountered a multitude of trials and tribulations but always managed to keep the family together, even after Sally called a mentally unstable murderer “a real psycho” or when she discovered her imaginary friend was actually her twin brother.</p> <ol start="3"> <li><strong> The Clampetts (Beverly Hillbillies)</strong></li> </ol> <p><em>"Come and listen to my story 'bout a man named Jed </em><br /><em>A poor mountaineer, barely kept his family fed </em><br /><em>And then one day he was shootin' at some food </em><br /><em>And up through the ground came a bubblin' crude </em><br /><em>Oil, that is. Black gold. Texas tea…”</em><br />A ragtag bunch, if ever there was one, the endearing Clampetts!</p> <p>Dominating TV ratings during the 1960s, The Beverly Hillbillies told the story of a simple Ozark-mountain family who struck gold, made millions and moved to an exclusive California address. Throughout its nine year run between 1962-1971, the Clampetts starred in 274 slap-your-knee Benny Hill style funny episodes.</p> <p>Hilarious scenarios arise as their untrustworthy banker does his damnedest to keep their oil earnings in the bank by lavishing them with an opulent lifestyle and appeasing unhappy neighbours who want them out of town. Overall, it’s a rollicking good time! </p> <p><strong>4. The Keatons (Family Ties)</strong></p> <p>During the height of President Reagan’s reign the world was introduced to a young Republican named Alex P. Keaton, played perfectly by Michael J. Fox in his breakout television role.</p> <p>Born to a couple of ex-hippies – architect Elyse and community radio employee Steven – the family also included less-than-intelligent, but flirty as hell, Mallory, middle-child syndrome prone Jennifer and, later, baby Andrew.</p> <p>The sometimes political but always funny storylines had that beautiful sitcom quality of wrapping up neatly after half an hour, and they never failed to make you feel all warm and fuzzy inside.</p> <p><strong>5. Dorothy And Sophia (The Golden Girls)</strong></p> <p>No list would be complete without the ragtag team of Dorothy Zbornak and her mother, Sophia Petrillo. These two women were so different it was hard to believe they were related, the side-splitting banter between the kooky mother and sensible daughter was so good it turned a show featuring a mature, all female cast into a smash hit. We love them for it!</p> <p>Scroll through the gallery above to see our top 5 TV families of all time.</p> <p><em>Republished with permission of Wyza.com.au</em></p>

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Obsessed with property! Ellen DeGeneres buys $66 million Beverly Hills mansion

<p>Ellen DeGeneres and Portia de Rossi have opened their colossal cheque book again to buy Adam Levine’s $66 million mansion.</p> <p>The Maroon 5 singer and his Victoria Secret model wife Behati Prinsloo lived in the home for just one year before offloading the Beverly Hills mansion in LA.</p> <p>The sprawling 10,376 square foot home is a five-bedroom, 12-bathroom property and seems to be the perfect addition to DeGeneres’ growing collection of pricy real estate.</p> <p>Levine reportedly sank $11.5 million into upgrading the home during the 12 months he owned it.</p> <blockquote style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/BwnnqX9gVOs/" data-instgrm-version="12"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"></div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <p style="margin: 8px 0 0 0; padding: 0 4px;"><a style="color: #000; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none; word-wrap: break-word;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BwnnqX9gVOs/" target="_blank">Here we go! 💪 Who's ready to stare down these #VoiceCrossBattles results? 😏</a></p> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;">A post shared by <a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/nbcthevoice/" target="_blank"> NBC's The Voice</a> (@nbcthevoice) on Apr 23, 2019 at 6:00pm PDT</p> </div> </blockquote> <p>It’s unsure what DeGeneres and de Rossi plan on doing with the mansion, but the final deal was just a couple of million short of Levine's $68.3 million asking price. It was well above the $48 million the Maroon 5 frontman and<span> </span><em>The Voice USA</em> judge paid for the home.</p> <p>The property was built in 1933 in the traditional American vernacular style of the time and the three-storey home has crown moulding in many of the common living areas on the first floor.</p> <p>There are also multiple areas for lounging in the backyard around the in-ground pool.</p> <p>Scroll through the gallery above to take a tour inside the $66 million Beverly Hills mansion.</p> <p><em>Photo credits: <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.mansionglobal.com/articles/adam-levine-sells-45-million-beverly-hills-mansion-in-five-weeks-203346" target="_blank">Mansion Global</a> </em></p>

TV

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Adele splurges $16.4 million on second home in Beverly Hills

<p>Not long after her 31st birthday – and following her separation from husband Simon Konecki, whom she married in 2017 and shares six-year-old son Angelo with – Adele has celebrated with some brand-new real estate on the west coast of America.</p> <p>The new home in Beverly Hills is a stunning five-bedroom, six-bathroom mid-century style home that’s located next to some A-list neighbours, including Katy Perry, Jennifer Lawrence and Cameron Diaz.</p> <p>According to <a rel="noopener" href="https://homes.nine.com.au/home-tours/adele-buys-second-home-in-beverly-hills/6aeb95fb-addc-402b-a918-4ca4788d59ac" target="_blank">9Honey Homes</a>, the home was built in the 1960s and spans 6,045 square feet.</p> <p>The home looks low-key from the outside, due to a plain exterior, a garage and three broad steps that lead up to the front door. However, step inside and have your mind blown due to the high ceilings and the abundance of natural light.</p> <p>With an airy sunken living room with a wood-burning fireplace in one corner and an entire wall of glass doors on the other, this home is inviting and light.</p> <p>The real star of the home is a library on the ground floor that boasts an impressive collection of floor-to-ceiling bookshelves that can hold approximately 2,000 volumes.</p> <p>The master suite has a sitting area with a fireplace, a walk-in closet, as well as a carpeted bathroom with spa bath.</p> <p>There’s also a small art studio, a custom-fitted crafts room, a home office, as well as a wall-to-wall carpeted fitness suite.</p> <p>The backyard has a swimming pool, as well as a large well-kept green lawn.</p> <p>Scroll through the gallery above to take a look inside the grand home.</p> <p><em>Photo credits: Zillow</em></p>

Music

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The imaginary friend who helped me through my darkest time

<p><em><strong>Beverly Roberts enjoys writing and has belonged to few writer's groups in Cairns. Over the years, she has written for the local Cairns Post newspaper, doing book and theatre reviews, as well as for the local Rondo Theatre. As family has always played a big part of her life, she loves writing about her family.</strong></em></p> <p>I was trying hard to learn how to live alone. Days were okay, I just hated nights. Always have done. Used to wander into my parents’ bedroom. Sometimes even sleepwalked there. Which made them as frightened as I already was.</p> <p>So, now I’m having to accept being alone at night. Night-time, when most house lights have gone out and the curlews cry, I stay awake as long as possible, then retire to bed with a book. Windows are closed and curtains drawn, until it really is time to sleep. Finally, turn the light off, creep out of bed, pull back curtains and open windows, all in the dark. The last window is about a metre from the bed.</p> <p>I just can’t walk there. I know… I know… that under the bed is a dismembered human hand waiting to grab me. But I fool it every time. I take a mighty leap from the window and land on the bed. The hand doesn’t get me! Aaaahhhh.</p> <p>It happened night after night. Often I fear that my leap might be off-centre and I’ll land on the floor. Then what? Broken leg? The Hand around my throat? What can I do?</p> <p>After months of this horror, while doing my usual thing of opening every door to see if there is a “someone” there, I pull open the toilet door and, this night, there is someone there.</p> <p>I am fixed to the spot. It’s a well-dressed gentleman, pin-striped suit, collar and tie, just sitting on the toilet (lid down, of course), hands resting on his knees.</p> <p>“Hello,” he says, in a gentle, but manly voice, “I’ve been waiting for you.”</p> <p>I gape!</p> <p>“What’s your name?” I ask. “Matthew” is the answer. “I’m here to take care of you.”</p> <p>“Oh, thank you.” I turn off the light, shut the door and head for bed. Am I mad?</p> <p>And so this happens every night. Same door, same Matthew, same words. I begin to tell friends (and sometimes, strangers). They look at me oddly, but seem to accept my story. Why not? Matthew has become my friend and hero.</p> <p>One night, same as any other, I open the toilet door. Matthew is not there. No more Matthew! What will I do?</p> <p>I mull over this and suddenly realise that, for the last few nights, The Hand has not been under the bed either.</p> <p>Now I understand. Matthew was there to protect me. Once The Hand was gone, he knew that his job was done.</p> <p>I am rather sad to have him leave, but understand that there are other frightened people like me, who might also need his calm watchfulness.</p> <p>This was all about four years ago and I haven’t thought about The Hand since. I do, however, sometimes think of Matthew, and wonder how he is getting on.</p> <p>Me? I’m getting on fine, thanks.  Life has picked up. No more creepy nights. Just to bed with a book, light off, down I go. And all is well. But it was good to have that true friend, when he was needed.</p>

Mind

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Remembering childhood advice from Mum

<p><em><strong>Beverly Roberts enjoys writing and has belonged to few writer's groups in Cairns. Over the years, she has written for the local </strong></em><strong>Cairns Post</strong><em><strong> newspaper, doing book and theatre reviews, as well as for the local Rondo Theatre. As family has always played a big part of her life, she loves writing about her family.</strong></em></p> <p>“Mu-u-u-m-m… Make her stop looking at me,” whined my young brother as he waved his knife across the dinner table at me.</p> <p>“Oh, what now?” asked Mum, coming from the kitchen and wiping her hands on her apron, “and don’t wave your cutlery around near your Grandfather. You might hit him.”</p> <p>“Yeah, thash right (clack, clack),” went Grandad, trying to deal with his rickety false teeth, “keep that knife to yeself, shun.” Grandad blew his large nose mightily and then dropped his handkerchief, slap on the dinner table.</p> <p>“Urrgghh,” chorused all the children.  I ‘urrrgghh-ed’ too, but kept it to myself.</p> <p>After all, poor old Grandad had never been too hot on table manners.</p> <p>“Oh dear,” said poor Mum, then turned to me, “and darling, please don’t keep on at them.”</p> <p>“But Mum, when they grow up, they’ll thank me for teaching them correct table manners.”  I glared at my three younger siblings. “You’ll appreciate my advice when you grow up.” I’d loved to have pointed my knife at them, in the manner of a cranky schoolteacher with a stick.  But I couldn’t go against my own advice.</p> <p>Dear Mum. She never imagined she’d be a mother, let alone of five children spread over twelve years. She’d always wanted to be on the stage.  Perhaps she got this from Grandad who, I’d been told, had actually been on the stage as a singer. To quote: ‘who’d a thunk it?’ But Mum had produced a brown photograph. There stood Grandad, young and dapper, still wearing his hair in a little curl on his forehead. In the manner of the day, he clutched a rolled sheet of music. His nose, even then, looked rather large, but certainly far less red and dripping than it was at this time. When I saw this old photo, my young heart hurt for poor old Grandad. Much as it does right now for Mum. We just can’t imagine old folks having young dreams, can we?</p> <p>Mum heaved a sigh and shrugged her shoulders at Dad, immaculate in his collar and tie and knife-creased trousers.  It was Dad who had taught me how to behave at the table, which I enjoyed in my snobbish way. But when, six years after my arrival, Mum presented him with twins and eighteen months later another boy he gave up. Trying to teach three of them, all waving cutlery, eating with their fingers and whining about Grandad… It was more than a chap could bear.</p> <p>Three little kids! Poor Mum was overwhelmed. But whenever their dinner table behaviour became unruly, I would leap in and berate the trio, finishing with “you’ll thank me one day when you’re in polite society and know how to behave at the table.”</p> <p>Of course, this was met with snorts of derisive laughter. And shrugged shoulders from Mum and Dad. And Grandad? He just blew his nose again, gurgled and tried to clear his throat, and dumped his handkerchief on the dinner table. And so life went on. Poor Mum.</p>

Family & Pets

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A poem about our mother

<p><em><strong>Beverly Roberts enjoys writing and has belonged to few writer's groups in Cairns. Over the years, she has written for the local Cairns Post newspaper, doing book and theatre reviews, as well as for the local Rondo Theatre. As family has always played a big part of her life, she loves writing about her family.</strong></em></p> <p align="center"><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Our Mother</span></p> <p align="center">In my mind and in my heart</p> <p align="center">Are so many pictures of our Mother</p> <p align="center">A gentle, patient, caring and loving soul,</p> <p align="center">Loved by all who knew her.</p> <p align="center"> </p> <p align="center">See the photo album?</p> <p align="center">All those years ago, back in the twenties,</p> <p align="center">In her rolled down stockings,</p> <p align="center">And her flattened bosom,</p> <p align="center">Her cloche hat</p> <p align="center">And her twinkling eyes.</p> <p align="center">And our Father,</p> <p align="center">Who did not think to be a father then,</p> <p align="center">Was smitten.</p> <p align="center">And who would be otherwise?</p> <p align="center"> </p> <p align="center">They married in love and laughter.</p> <p align="center">She followed him from state to state</p> <p align="center">From city to city,</p> <p align="center">Totting up half a hundred addresses.</p> <p align="center">She went where the love was</p> <p align="center">And he kept her near him.</p> <p align="center">But five children?</p> <p align="center">No. Never. Impossible, they said.</p> <p align="center">Sorry dearest parents, words could not stop it.</p> <p align="center">Your history rolled over you</p> <p align="center">And brought the five.</p> <p align="center"> </p> <p align="center">Should there be an auction of feelings today</p> <p align="center">With the five as the bidders,</p> <p align="center">Who would win the prize?</p> <p align="center">Each had their special memories</p> <p align="center">Each thinks they were the special one</p> <p align="center">She was like that.</p> <p align="center">We were all the winners.</p> <p align="center"> </p> <p align="center">Our Mother,</p> <p align="center">Beautiful in soul and word,</p> <p align="center">Beautiful in nature and thought,</p> <p align="center">Beautiful in the bright light</p> <p align="center">Of her own beliefs.</p> <p align="center">And right.</p> <p align="center">Always right.</p> <p align="center">Always the right word.</p> <p align="center"> </p> <p align="center">The right, small scolding</p> <p align="center">Occasionally used.</p> <p align="center">The laughter, the love, the joy,</p> <p align="center">In that family home,</p> <p align="center">All held together by her... Our Mother.</p> <p align="center">It's all there, in our memories,</p> <p align="center">In our hearts,</p> <p align="center">For ever and ever and ever. Oh, we have been so lucky.</p>

Family & Pets

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Do you love or hate your name?

<p><em><strong>Beverly Roberts enjoys writing and has belonged to few writer's groups in Cairns. Over the years, she has written for the local Cairns Post newspaper, doing book and theatre reviews, as well as for the local Rondo Theatre. As family has always played a big part of her life, she loves writing about her family.</strong></em></p> <p>“What’s in a name?” said Shakespeare’s Juliet. What indeed? Do you like your name, agree with it, happy that you have it? Or do you wish your parents had given it a bit more thought?</p> <p>Take my family, for example:</p> <p>Child number one, a girl, parents delighted until they found that she howled all night. But that’s nothing to do with her name. Where Mum and Dad got Judith from, nobody knows. But, poor dears, they thought she’d be their only child since their future plans did not encourage an entourage. So they gave Judith both her grandmothers’ names and she became Judith Ellen Constance. As she learned to speak, she became Juda Ella Consta. And it stuck for years.</p> <p>Number two, another unexpected girl, was a puzzlement. It appears there was a second-rate movie with a fading star called Beverly. Thus number two had that name – Mum was a dedicated movie fan. Second name? Oh, what the heck, make it Ann. Sits well. Problem for poor Bev was that, even to this day, most people insist on putting an ‘e’ into each name… Beverley Anne. She hates it.</p> <p>Number three and four (yes, poor Mum, twins). An even more daunting task. So at the maternity hospital bedside, they wrote a variety of boy/girl names on scraps of paper, put them in two bowls, and each pulled out a name. Out came Anthony and Carolyn. They both agreed on that, but what about second names? WWII was in progress, so the decision was to look to two families who were overseas at the time. Thus, we have Anthony Albert (Mum’s young brother, flying with the RAAF. Sadly, did not return). And Carolyn Olga (Dad’s sister living in London, who came through unscathed). Neither twin liked their second names, until they were aware of their history.</p> <p>Dad, bouncing Carolyn Olga on his knee, would sing to her “Cabalina Rusticana, little tiny fat anana” (child speak for ‘banana’). Anthony Albert was a bit browned off that he didn’t have a knee-bouncing name. Dad, hard put to find another operatic piece, came up with “Tony in the biscuit tin, sitting on a safety pin”. Nobody knew, then or now, what it was supposed to mean, but it stuck around, only to be brought out at times when Tony was being a pain.</p> <p>Poor Mum trotted off to the doctor when the twins were about nine months old. Doctor, grinning, gave her a pat on the tummy and announced, “congratulations, you’re pregnant”. Mum burst into tears and said, “but I’ve got nine-month-old twins, I couldn’t handle it”. “Nonsense,” was his reply, “three babies are no worse than two. Cheerio, see you next month”. Poor Mum!</p> <p>However, when the new boy arrived, another name was needed. Mum had always loved the name Christopher and hung out for that. But, since our surname was Roberts, Dad insisted that he would always be called Christopher Robin, and he might hate that. So Mum opted for Noel, which was as close to Christopher/Christmas as she could find. Second name? Let’s go to Grandfather this time. He became Noel George. And Mum put paid, in whichever way it was done in those days, to any more children.</p> <p>So, the answer to the opening question is:  A great deal of thought, sometimes irritation, but all pretty much happy with our names.  Even though we became Jude, Bev, Tone, Cab, and -er-er-Noel. (How could you muck about with that?)</p> <p>Thanks Mum and Dad.</p> <p>PS: When Dad built our family home, he decided to call it ‘Jubecatono’. You work it out. As you’d imagine, he didn’t get his way this time!</p> <p>Do you know how your parents chose your name? Or how did you decide on your children’s names? Let us know in the comments below. </p>

Family & Pets